‘She needs a rock. And I’m a marshmallow’ Just Between Ourselves – Churchill Theatre, Bromley. 25.06.25
I have a bit of a review backlog that I need to get through from a number of non-PR theatre visits, but before I do, it was a delight to be back at the Churchill Theatre in Bromley for this evening’s performance of Just Between Ourselves.
Just Between Ourselves was first presented to theatres back in 1976, well over a decade before I was born, so it’s not one I was familiar with before I received our invited from the Churchill. I made a conscious decision not to do too much digging online ahead of tonight’s performance, so I could view it with fresh eyes and without being influenced by other people’s opinions.
The play is set in a garage and garden over four successive birthdays beginning in February and ending the following January. Dennis (Tom Richardson) spends his time tinkering in his garage, ignoring the fact that his wife Vera (Holly Smith) is being driven mad by his overbearing mother Marjorie (Connie Walker). Neil (Joseph Clowser) drags his reluctant wife Pam (Helen Phillips) to look at Vera’s car, which is for sale, and an unlikely friendship is formed between the two couples. Writer Alan Ayckbourn juxtaposes comedy with tragedy, revealing suppressed tensions between unfulfilled and unhappy wives, and emotionally stunted husbands.
For me, the set and opening scene evoked a good deal of nostalgia, in more ways than one. Very much in keeping with the TV sitcoms of the 70s, there’s a lot of light-hearted, slightly cheesy comedy in the first scene, where Dennis does his best second-hand car salesmen impression in an attempt to sell the little green mini that’s taking up his garage to Neil, who reveals he doesn’t drive but is looking at the car for his wife Pam, who he’s left inside with Dennis’ mother. Speaking to my fellow reviewers in the interval, we all agreed that the garage/back garden set reminded us of either a parent or grandparent’s home, particularly the floral, foldaway deckchairs… It also reminded me a little of the ginnel from Coronation Street, though I couldn’t necessarily say why. Perhaps because the drama has a little ‘soap opera’ about it.
Signs of unhappiness start to creep in early. Dennis refers to Vera ‘being unwell’. Neil says he is buying the car for Pam, but she has no interest in looking at it, and they start to bicker when she is brought out to see it. But on the whole, it remains light-hearted, with Vera’s annoyance at her mother-in-law’s jabs causing her clumsiness, and Dennis laughing it all off, as he seems to do everything.
In Act Two things become darker. The tensions between Pam and Neil lead to conversations about separation. Neil muses that Pam needs a rock, when he’s a marshmallow, and how no woman can respect a ‘weak’ man. Vera makes a heart-wrenching plea for Dennis to help her, and he suggests she makes a list of what needs fixing and he’ll do it, so she walks away silently in despair. It culminates in an ugly misunderstanding between Vera and Majorie, but I won’t reveal what that is. If you want to know, you’ll have to see it!
This cast of just five work hard to bring life their limited setting to life. They have been on tour for a number of weeks now, which is evident in the slickness of their performance. Tom Richardson (Dennis) and Holly Smith (Vera) deserve particular praise, bringing two completely different kinds of ‘manic’ to their roles. They all caused me to laugh, and caused me to pause for thought towards the end.
I imagine for younger audience members, this play will seem dated, and not representative of modern-day relationships or marriages. But as I watched Vera sadly in the final scene, I couldn’t help but wonder how true that is. Vera’s cry for help still rings true; only now it comes from women who are trying to juggle full or part-time jobs, motherhood, and keeping a home.
Just Between Ourselves is showing at the Churchill Theatre until Saturday 28th June, and tickets can be bought here.
